GiftCard Partners Blog

Telecommuting; the term was coined in back in 1973, but it took recent cloud computing technologies for many employers to jump on board telecommuting wagon.
GiftCard Partners (GCP) has an entirely remote workforce, so we understand the benefits to our employer, to ourselves as the employees and the Earth. Companies like
GCP are making a difference in society with a very small carbon footprint and in work life balance by offering telecommuting as an option. But with a remote workforce, how can you be sure that recognition and motivation for your telecommuting workforce isn’t lost?

Virtual work-force Promotes Company Growth, Family Values and a Healthier Environment

WELLESLEY, Mass.,
Aug. 16, 2011
/PRNewswire-iReach/ -- Today
GiftCard Partners' (GCP)
Ed Shulkin and Deb Merkin announced 10 years of vision coming to fruition as their virtual workforce now stretches across all regions of the country.
Massachusetts,
New York,
California,
Florida, and
Oregon are just a few of the company's remote workplace "home" offices. Read the rest of the PR Newswire release here:

GiftCard Partners Expands from Coast to Coast with Entirely Remote Workforce.

Check out another great infographic on Mashable:
The Rise of the Mobile Workforce [INFOGRAPHIC]

Incentive Research Foundation (IRF) and the
Incentive Federation recently published a study that highlights gift cards as an employee reward preference over cash rewards. The study about incentive awards recognizes non-cash incentives as a way to control spending, while motivating employees and channel partners. The preliminary results of the study point out that employee cash incentive awards are averaging $732.00, which is triple the cost of non-cash awards. “The study validates our experience and belief that the average cost of a cash award is roughly triple that of either merchandise ($206) or gift cards ($240),” according to Incentive Federation Chairman Stephen Slagle.  “The total cost of incentives is especially important in our post-recession economy, so the data points stimulated extensive discussion around the benefits of each award type,” he explained. To read more about this study, visit
IMA’s Return On Performance. Check back with us regularly; we’ll publish a link to the full study results once they are available.

I recently posted a response and opposing side to a story called “The Myth of Work Life Balance”, which stated that there was no such thing as this balance, that this idea is a pathetic chase and unattainable. Of course, I scathed out my side, practically offended that a woman would advocate “giving up” our journey to work-life balance; it doesn’t exist. Honestly, I’ve felt a bit unsettled that my attempt at debunking this myth was just one mom’s personal story and perspective and not representative enough of others’ truths. However, my company meeting gives us proof otherwise.